Broken Rules and Lost Hope
by omnomnivore
Summary: During third year as Harry and Hermione wait for everyone to appear from the Whomping Willow, Harry breaks the one rule of time travel: Don’t be seen. He pays dearly and can never forgive himself without a little help.


A/N1: I wrote this a few months ago and found it as I was organizing my files. I edited it a tiny bit and hope you enjoy it.

Summary: During third year as Harry and Hermione wait for everyone to appear from the Whomping Willow, Harry breaks the one rule of time travel: Don't be seen. He pays dearly and can never forgive himself without a little help.

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"Hermione, I can't just sit around and wait for Pettigrew to get away! He gave my parents to Voldemort, took away Sirius' life, and he's a cowardly git! I'm going and don't even try to stop me!" Harry yelled at Hermione as they waited for themselves to come up from the Whomping Willow.

"I'll turn you in," Hermione said in a cold, deadly voice. She shocked Harry so much that he stopped in his tracks. "I promise I'll do it. I'm sick of everything you've done. I'm sick of you pulling me into this. I want to be normal. Go, but remember that your joy will be short lived."

Harry looked at her and walked away, forever. He had no idea that when he went to capture Wormtail he'd be killing everyone he cared about and saving a traitor.

He left her side as his past self came out of the tunnel. He ran to Peter Pettigrew and knocked him out cold so he couldn't transform, he then unbind him, and ran off with his body before anyone noticed. Even after they did realize another Harry Potter had just run up and stole their prisoner, they couldn't think about that; Lupin was changing into a werewolf.

As Harry ran away, he heard the screaming of Professor Lupin, heard Sirius growling, saw Ron struggling to break free from Remus, Hermione running to him and getting him free, he saw his and Hermione's past selves disappear and then he saw the Dementors surround them. He had frozen up. Some fear had taken hold of him, a fear of losing his friends, his godfather, the man who was friends with his father and godfather. He even felt afraid for Snape. He saw Remus run towards the forest without pursuing any of them and then he saw the worst sight he would probably ever see.

As he stood there, he saw four hoods lowered, four mouths clamp onto their jaws, four souls being lost forever. He tried to perform the Patronous, but he couldn't find anything happy anymore, he fell to his knees and watched as the Dementors floated away having been successful in their mission.

He heard yelling and saw another Patronous attack all the Dementors. He felt himself being lifted up, saw McGonagall and other professors running towards the fallen and felt himself being pulled gently to his feet. He saw Pettigrew being lead away and feebly tried to protest until he heard Professor Dumbledore's voice "Harry, calm down, I'll take care of it. Walk with me to the Hospital Wing."

Harry let himself be taken and looked around to see if Ron was there, but all the beds were empty. His last hope had been crushed. He sat down on a bed and started to sob.

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"Albus, what's happened?" Madame Pompfrey questioned quietly after being held back by the headmaster.

When Albus Dumbledore spoke, he looked all his years and reported gravely "Four people were just given the Dementor's Kiss without prompting."

"Who Albus, who?" she asked quietly.

"Severus, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, and a man we thought to be guilty, Sirius Black. Hush, Sirius was innocent; Mr. Potter had Peter Pettigrew bound when I took him." Albus replied in a hushed, somber voice.

---

"It was all my fault! I killed my best friends and two innocent men! I SAVED A TRAITOR!" Harry yelled in guilt and fury as he heard the headmaster's response.

"Harry, the blame is all mine. I should never have asked you and Miss Granger to do what I did. I will take responsibility for what has happened tonight." The Headmaster gently told Harry.

"You didn't break the rules of time travel, YOU didn't change the past, YOU didn't murder your friends! I didn't even listen to Hermione when she threatened to turn me in because I thought she would forgive me! Yet, when has Hermione been wrong? When has good come from ignoring her? I took her to her death! I didn't even get to apologize! I'll never get to live with my godfather! I'll never forgive myself!" Harry yelled before breaking down.

"I tempted fate tonight and I paid for it. Harry, there is nothing I can do to change what has happened, but you can stay strong for those still with you." Dumbledore said with sadness leaking through his words.

"Who is left? Who is still here? Who didn't I murder?" Harry said through his silent sobs.

"Harry, you didn't murder them. Remus is still here, Miss Weasley and your other friends are still here." Dumbledore said with a quiet fierceness.

"Please leave me alone, Professor. I just want to sleep. I want to be left alone." Harry said as he lay down on the bed he was sitting on.

"Goodnight, Harry." Dumbledore whispered as he left the hospital wing.

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A/N2: This is my new pet project for when I can't write anymore chaps for my other stories. Review please, or not, but I prefer reviews. Complementary box of chocolates with each review.


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